AP Physics 1 (Revised)
Audit Syllabus
School Name removed as per instructions.
School Our school is a public 9-12th grade high school.
Student Population Total enrollment is about 2300.
 Black 33%
 Hispanic 28%
 White 18%
 Asian 6%
 Two or more races 6%
 Pacific Islander 1%
 American Indian/Alaskan Native 1%
Instructional Time The school year begins in August and has 180 instructional days. Classes meet every
other day (odd/even blocks) for 90 minutes per period. An individual class has 90
instructional days inclusive.
Student Preparation CP Physics and AP Physics 1 are offered for students from 10-12th grades. Prerequisite is
concurrent enrollment in Geometry and Biology with a C or better. CP Physics is not
required prior to AP Physics 1 but it is encouraged.
Primary Planning resources College Physics, 7th Edition, Serway, Faughn, and Bennett.
(Curricular Requirement 1) Hyperphysics: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu
AP Central planning guide
“GREEAT Science;”, www.AstronomyTeacher.com. Tutorial on experimental design and
graph analysis written by course instructor.
Learn AP Physics: http://www.learnapphysics.com/apphysics1and2/index.html. Used for
problems of the day.
“Next Time Questions,” Paul Hewitt. http://www.arborsci.com/next-time-questions.
Used for problems of the day.
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 1
SECOND REVISION NOTES
The reviewers of this syllabus noted the following problems, which are repeated below with notes, additions, and corrections.
A more explicit connection to the AP sample syllabus development guide is attempted. In the section called “Curriculum
Requirements” I have attempted to follow the sample syllabus evaluation template more closely to make it easier for readers
to evaluate the syllabus.
1. “Component 6b: The laboratory work used throughout the course includes guided-inquiry laboratory investigations
allowing students to apply all seven science practices.
Evaluation Guideline: Descriptions of laboratory investigations
must indicate how, collectively, the lab experiences provide students opportunities to apply all seven science practices. (It is
not required that all seven practices be included within any one laboratory investigation.)
Evaluation Guideline: A
minimum of seven investigations must be labeled with the term guided-inquiry and/or open-inquiry.
Rating: Insufficient
Evidence
Rationale: At least 7 labs must be labeled as either open or guided inquiry type.
”
Response: In the table “Time for Each Unit” appearing on page 16 of this syllabus, there are twenty-eight (28) activities
labeled either “Guided” or “Open Inquiry.” I have marked these labels in bold so they can be found easily. As I wrote each
activity description, I tagged each of the 25 science practices (1.1 through 7.2) that I thought applied to each activity. Then, I
created a report about which science practices were addressed by which activity, which appears as an appendix to this
document labeled “Science Practices Summary” which follows the main body of the syllabus. Next, for this revision, I
revisited the task descriptions and added language to each one explaining how it addresses the science practices.
In conclusion, I think I have met the Component 6b requirement because a) I have provided at least seven labs and activities
labeled either “Guided” or “Open Inquiry”; I have included sufficient language within the project descriptions to show how,
individually, each activity addresses the science practices; and I have revised the paragraph below entitled “Notes about How
Lab Investigations Provide Opportunities for all Seven Practices” (page 7) which describes how the science practices are
addressed collectively by the group of activities. There is a table at the end of this section (page 8) that addresses the overall
strategy of how the collection of labs and activities provides opportunities for students to experience all seven practices, which
was added for the first revision.
2. “Component 7: The course provides opportunities for students to develop their communication skills by recording
evidence of their research of literature or scientific investigations through verbal, written, and graphic
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 2
presentations.
Evaluation Guideline: The syllabus must include the components of the lab reports required of students for
all the laboratory investigations engaged in throughout the course.
Evaluation Guideline: The syllabus must include an
explicit statement that students are required to maintain a lab journal, notebook, or portfolio (hard-copy or electronic) that
includes evidence of their lab work.
Rating: Insufficient Evidence
Rationale: The syllabus should include a list of required
components for lab reports.
”
RESPONSE: I have revised the lab notebook section to make the list of required lab report components stand out more. It was
there before but I re-wrote it and put it under its own section titled “Required Lab Report Components.” This appears on
page 10.
3. “In addition to the components above, the items listed below required significant inference on the part of reviewers.
Although not required of you, please keep in mind that strengthening the evidence provided in your syllabus for each of these
components will assist us in expediting your final review.
Component 2g: The course design provides opportunities for students to develop understanding of the foundational
principles of rotational motion in the context of the big ideas that organize the curriculum framework.
RESPONSE: In the section entitled “Curriculum Requirements” in section 2g you will find 4 activities listed including “Spin a
Penny,” “Torque Sculpture”, “Mass of Jupiter,” and “Torque on a Disk,” which cover the concepts of centripetal force, torque,
Kepler’s Laws, and Rotational Inertia, respectively. In addition the activity “Downhill Racers” involves rotational inertia and is
inadvertently listed in the 2h section.
Component 2h: The course design provides opportunities for students to develop understanding of the foundational
principles of electrostatics in the context of the big ideas that organize the curriculum framework.
RESPONSE: In the section entitled “Curriculum Requirements” in section 2h you will find 2 activities listed including
“Methods of charging” and “Static Electricity Demos” which provide instruction on conservation of charge, electric field
(through paper strips taped to an electrostatic generator, and a Faraday cage), polarization, charging by induction, grounding,
opposites attract/likes repel, charge concentration on pointed objects, the use of electroscopes, and static discharges. The
main concept of Coulomb’s law is covered in homework problems involving computations of forces on fixed static charges.
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 3
“Component 3: Students have opportunities to apply AP Physics 1 learning objectives connecting across enduring
understandings as described in the curriculum framework. These opportunities must occur in addition to those within
laboratory investigations. “
RESPONSE: Although this syllabus primarily covers the demonstrations, activities, and investigations that form the backbone
of the class, projects outside the classroom are assigned in several situations. These include the design of a windup car that
must also serve as an egg drop device. The windup car uses the big idea of conservation of energy via mechanical potential
energy stored in a stretched rubber band. The same car must protect an egg from a 5 meter fall onto concrete, using whatever
means necessary to protect the egg and illustrating the impulse-momentum relationship. A second activity of this nature is to
design a musical instrument using either strings or tubes and compute the lengths necessary to make it function using the
concept of resonance. Sheet music is presented as a frequency vs. time graph, and students are asked to decode the music into
instructions used to play the notes. This uses the big ideas of resonance and graph interpretation. Both projects are
completed at home and brought to school for presentation.
FIRST REVISION NOTES
The reviewers of this syllabus noted the following problems. Each one includes a statement on where and how the issue is
addressed in the syllabus. The attachments that were generated by the relational database I used to design the curriculum
now contain section descriptions to make it easier to find evidence.
Component 2c: No evidence for developing the foundational principles of gravitation and circular motion in the context of the
big ideas.
Response: On page 1 of the Curriculum Requirements attachment, the Big Idea CR2c “The course design provides
opportunities for students to develop understanding of gravitation and circular motion in the context of the big ideas that
organize the curriculum” lists two activities that directly address this requirement: The Orbit Simulation activity and the Mass
of Jupiter activity. In addition lecture notes on deriving Kepler’s third law from the law of gravity and the centripetal force
equation are provided and examples worked in class. The orbit simulation demonstrates all of Kepler’s Laws and relates the
second law to the law of conservation of energy. The Jupiter Mass activity uses the derived equation for Newton’s version of
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 4
Kepler’s third law combined with observations of Jupiter’s moons to determine the mass of Jupiter, which directly addresses
the Big Idea cited.
Component 5: Students are provided with a minimum of 25 percent instructional time in labs with an emphasis on inquiry.
Response: An explicit statement has been added to the syllabus, and an estimate of the number of class days spent on
investigations has been added to the activity description table in this document. There is a further detailed commentary on
how inquiry is developed in the science practices section.
Component 6b: The syllabus must include guided inquiry and open-inquiry investigations (a minimum of 7).
Response: The type of inquiry in labs have been classified as guided inquiry and open ended inquiry in the table of activity
descriptions in this document. In addition a statement addressing how the sequence of labs is designed to meet the seven
practices has been added to this document (see revisions to “Lab Investigations” and “Science Practices” section below.
Component 7: Lab report components and lab journal must be explicitly described in the syllabus.
Response: Explicit statements about lab report components and lab journal entries are added below in the “Lab
Investigations” section.
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 5
AP Physics 1 at Deer Valley High School Overview
Overview
I teach physics with elements of a conceptual approach with a modeling approach. I believe students may not have everyday
life experiences that guide their understanding of physics principles, so each unit begins with demos or discrepant events
targeting concepts in the unit. Conceptual, qualitative lab activities develop intuition. Then a theoretical basis for
understanding is presented, typically through lecture. Homework is assigned once or twice per week, to reinforce lecture and
lab concepts. Formal labs are conducted either to verify and reinforce natural laws, develop project-based outcomes, or to set
up and carry out student-directed investigations.
Lab Investigations
Lab investigations focus on scientific argumentation, including establishing a claim (typically expressed as an educated guess
in a hypothesis); collecting or finding evidence to support the claim; and then questioning and reinforcing claims to defend
student ideas. Approximately 30 percent of instructional time is spent on laboratory exercises.
There are three kinds of lab activities in my class. First is the “Verification” lab, which simply attempts to verify a relationship
or find a constant in a physical law (such as the value of “g” using a picket fence). Second are project-based to demonstrate a
principle of physics or engineering (such as an egg drop to illustrate the impulse-momentum relationship). Finally, formal
investigations of unknown variables using a full lab report, written procedure, data table, graph, graph analysis and
conclusion. The procedures in these lab procedures are written by students, who are given increasingly greater responsibility
for the experimental design and procedure as the school year progresses. I estimated the time spent on labs by counting days
per unit at around 40% (see table below) but this includes days where a short lecture is followed by a lab activity. The total
time on labs is definitely more than 25% of class time.
Notes about Unit Development and Analysis
For this audit and other courses I teach I have developed a relational database using Filemaker Pro which I use to index each
activity by unit using Science Concepts, Science Practices, and Curricular Requirements. This data is then sorted by
Unit/Activity and the associated standards are summarized for each activity. This is the core of the data presented in the
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 6
sections that follow. Additional sections present the names of the activities sorted by Science Practices and Curricular
requirements.
Appendices are as follows:
Activity Summary including Science Concepts (Big Ideas), Science Practices, and Curricular Requirements.
Big Idea Concept Summary (Each activity addressing specific Big Ideas and Enduring Understanding and Essential Knowledge
requirements)
Science Practices Summary (Each activity addressing individual science practices.)
Curricular Requirements Summary (Each activity addressing specific curricular requirements)
Notes about How Lab Investigations Provide Opportunities for All Seven Practices
In the “Science Practices” summary attachment, there is a table generated listing each science practices along with the
activities that address that practice. The table below explains with specific examples how each science practice is supported
and the general approach to utilizing the science practices.
With respect to the support for inquiry labs, the course uses a gentle transition from guided to open inquiry through
discussion, activity, and lab work. Initial training activities are tightly controlled and procedurally detailed. However, near the
beginning of the course, the “reins loosen” and students are asked to begin assuming responsibility for interfering variables to
ensure the experiments will work. Later on, class discussions are used to select the variables specified as appropriate for the
equipment available. In the Newton’s law lab, for example, we have a force sensor with a hook for applying force, and an
accelerometer for detecting (but not controlling or creating) acceleration. Therefore students eventually come to realize that
force must be independent in the lab because acceleration cannot be. By the time the Ohm’s Law lab is conducted in the
spring, students are expected to create the entire experimental design procedure, leaving the teacher’s role as a technician
advisor (to avoid damaging equipment) but the procedure, hypothesis, and details are left for the student to create. This
avoids a sink-or-swim scenario where students are expected to “discover” things they have never been shown how to do.
In addition, there is a repeated effort to have students engage in scientific argument backed by evidence, from the daily
“problem of the day” discussions to the defense of procedures drafted for an open-inquiry lab activity. For example, during
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 7
“problem of the day,” practice problems are presented with multiple choice answers. The class votes on the best answer.
Then students are instructed to talk each other into picking the “right” answer, so the most persuasive argument has a chance
to be heard. Usually, but not always, the students as a group arrive at the right answer. Gradually they learn that answers that
do not scientifically justify the answer (such as “It wants to do this,” or “I feel like this is right”) are not as reliable as someone
who cites a scientific law or equation to justify their selection. If the class consensus arrives at the correct conclusion, a small
bonus is awarded to the entire class, which encourages more than one or two people to participate.
In combination with the lab exercises designed to gradually entrust students with the design of experimental procedures this
course (which is usually the first physics course they have ever had) gently leads students to independent scientific thinking
rather than a reliance on memorization or rote procedure.
Table Describing How Each Science Practice is Highlighted Within The Course
Science
Practice
Theme
1. The student
can use
representations
and models to
communicate
scientific
phenomena
and solve
scientific
problems.
Justification within the Syllabus
Modeling is gradually introduced as a way to mimic the real world and test hypotheses against reality. For
example, for the F=ma lab, students predict using the equation that the relationship between F and a is
direct, and experimental data will appear to be linear in a graph of F vs. a; and that the slope of the line will
be the mass that is accelerated. Students collect force data with a force sensor and acceleration data with an
accelerometer, then plot it and find the slope. To verify the model mimics reality, the mass of the cart
measured via a mass scale is compared to the mass determined by the model (F = ma.) As the course
progresses the modeling method is used to establish relationships before the equation is even presented. In
the Ohm’s Law lab (V=IR) the quantities are measured before the equation is introduced, and the equation is
derived from the data rather than anticipated. Matching data to expected mathematical models is done is
several other labs such as Marble in a Cup, Inelastic Collisions, and others.
Introduced in the summer homework and continued throughout the course, there is an emphasis on
deconstructing equations for relationships and meaning, and to represent problems and labs with drawings
meant to be modeled by the formulas. For example, students are taught in conservation of energy labs to
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 8
always draw two pictures: One “before” and one “after,” and then to brainstorm energy sources and uses and
use this construct to assemble an equation following conservation of energy. Often the measurements are
used to refine understanding of the specific situations they apply to, such as frictionless environments vs.
real –world experiences.
The downhill racers activity has a “tournament” consisting of rolling objects downhill in an effort to
determine which shapes roll faster than others, leading to a conceptual model of rotational inertia which is
followed by the development of rotational inertia formulas based on the analysis of the moment of inertia
summed over the shape. This is a clear example of conceptual model development.
2. The student
There are several recurrent themes in the development of the course. First, students are taught to classify
can use
problems by type such as falling objects or projectiles, dynamics problems, equilibrium problems,
mathematics
conservation of energy and/or momentum, and torque, for example. Each problem is presented with a
appropriately.
general plan of attack to justify the routine to solve the problem. “Every time you see a vector not aligned
with the coordinate system, find the components” is an example of the routines established in kinematics
problems and projectile motion. “Always draw two pictures” is a strategy used for all conservation
problems. “Find the source of centripetal force and set it equal to mv-squared over r” is used for circular
force problems.
Throughout the course, an emphasis is placed on numerical estimation as a mental exercise to increase
speed, and to double-check calculator-based values. In some cases students create exercises and make up
values to create study problems, and this gives them a chance to estimate realistic values.
3. The student
Hypothesis writing is emphasized from the first day of the course. Each major lab investigation must include
can engage in
a hypothesis. Both the traditional “testable educated guess” and “independent affects dependent” styles are
scientific
used. Each time a new relationship is investigated such as Ohm’s Law or Newton’s Second Law we discuss
questioning to
the formulation of a hypothesis as part of the process. This is practiced regularly in homework problems,
extend thinking problems of the day, and in lab reports.
or to guide
Students revise and refine hypotheses in the process of constructing lab proposals that eventually lead to
investigations
procedures.
within the
context of the
AP course.
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 9
4. The student
can plan and
implement data
collection
strategies in
relation to a
particular
scientific
question.
This practice is explicitly required in the development of open-ended inquiry activities. For example, during
the period of a pendulum lab, students are expected to identify the variables that might affect swing period
(initial position, string length, mass) and then asked to design an investigation, including data collection, to
investigate each one. Students decide how to change the length while holding the mass constant, for
example, and then collect data to establish the relationship (and hopefully show mass has no real effect on
period.)
5. The student
can perform
data analysis
and evaluation
of evidence.
The introduction to this topic involves learning about the relationship of graphs to the equations through an
analysis of archetypical relationships such as direct, inverse, quadratic, and so on. From there, we learn
about graph straightening, a technique of analysis of data where graphs are converted to linear functions to
find unknown parameters such as the acceleration of gravity. Specifically, a graph of distance vs. position for
a falling picket fence yields a quadratic graph; squaring the time data and replotting straightens the graph
and allows measurement of the slope, equal to ½ g. Later in the course during experiments such as the
speed of sound lab, students perform multiple measurements and find mean and standard deviation of data,
and compare this to standard values via relative error, to evaluate the quality of the work and the strength of
the evidence provided by the data.
During the daily Problem of the Day students propose explanation for scenarios presented as either multiple
choice or open ended problems. Students are invited to select a choice, then defend it and talk the rest of the
class into choosing the right answer. These Socratic arguments and discussions are valuable with
determining if students are using scientific explanations correctly. “What observation supports your claim?”
is a frequent follow-up question. Using conceptual arguments to explain charge movement in static
electricity demonstrations is a good way to test a student’s ability to construct explanations of phenomena
based on direct observational evidence of the behavior of charged objects.
As we progress through the course, the idea of refining theories and increasing the realism of simulations
and calculations are emphasized. For example, a simple analysis of the conservation of energy in a
pendulum shows it works, approximately, but later in the course students are reminded that rotational
kinetic energy provides an explanation for the discrepancy between the total kinetic and total potential
6. The student
can work with
scientific
explanations
and theories.
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 10
7. The student
is able to
connect and
relate
knowledge
across various
scales,
concepts, and
representations
in and across
domains.
energy in the pendulum. Thus the explanation is refined based on a deeper analysis.
We take this to mean the integration of Big Ideas across domains and integrate understanding between
separate units of study. Thus, projects that require more than one domain of knowledge help promote this
practice. Good examples include the Jupiter lab which involve scaling the picture through plate scale to
determine the radius of a moon’s orbit, application of the Law of gravity and centripetal force to derive the
mass of Jupiter, modeling of the orbit to determine its orbital period using a parametric version of a sine
wave, and graphing and estimation skills. Another example is to use the graph straightening skill and
experimental design concepts in the pendulum lab that determines that the period is only a function of the
length and not of mass or initial angle, as long as the initial angle remains small.
Lab Journal
Students are required to keep a lab journal consisting of lab data, reports, problems of the day and “reality-enhanced
homework.” “Reality enhanced homework” means “homework with props” where a full investigation is not done, but a single
example using actual measured data rather than artificial or made-up data. These may be mini-labs or demonstrations. For
example, a student might measure a voltage and current and calculate a single resistance value from it to make the values
realistic . Lab data consists of raw data measurements, which are recorded in the lab book for later transcription into a
computer for analysis, such as measurements of distance and time done with a ruler and a stopwatch. Problems of the Day are
the daily warmup exercises discussed elsewhere in this document. Lab reports are draft copies and printed copies of lab
investigations involving a full lab report, scored by rubric, as described in the section above. Draft hypotheses and procedures,
sketches and diagrams, and notes on background research are appropriate entries in the lab journal. The lab journal is
checked quarterly and on special occasions during work time.
List of Lab Journal Components
Problems of the Day
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 11
Draft reports, raw data tables and brainstorming/planning documents for labs in progress to be transcribed later into reports
(these may consist of questions, predictions, explanation of phenomena, data collection, data analysis/ graphs, error
analysis/sources of uncertainty, statistics, and conclusions.
Copies of finished Lab Reports
Draft proposals for lab procedures awaiting approval prior to work
Summer Homework (equation analysis)
Summer Homework
Prior to beginning the course, students are asked to analyze the AP Physics equation list and write down all the relationships
between the variables (direct, inverse, quadratic, etc) and state the quantities represented by each variable (F = force), look up
appropriate units of measurement (Force = Newtons) and state which chapters in the text relate to these formulas. This is
done during the summer and reviewed on the first day of class.
Lab Report Format
Lab reports are produced in draft form in the Lab Journal and in final printed form typically on a computer. The lab report for
a “full” guided or open-ended lab activity consists of the following components, which are scored by rubric.
I expect students to type reports and integrate data tables and graphs into the document and add illustrations or photographs
as necessary to make the procedure reproducible.
Required Lab Report Components
Title: A traditional title is an abbreviated hypothesis, as in “The effect of this on that.”
Abstract: A summary of the entire experiment, especially the hypothesis, outline of the procedure, and specific conclusion;
containing nothing not already stated elsewhere; written last, but placed at the beginning of the report.
Variable List: As appropriate, explicitly identify the independent, dependent, and interfering variables.
Equipment List: List all equipment used in the experiment at a level of detail necessary to recreate your work.
Background: State what rules, principles, or laws guide the design of the experiment; results of other experimenter’s work;
and cite references where you found this information.
Procedure: Write a series of statements about what you did that addresses the following:
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 12
a. How all interfering variables were controlled
b. How the independent variable values were measured and selected
c. How the dependent variable values were measured
d. How any problems were solved during the lab experiment
Data Table: A labeled data table or tables listing all measurements to an appropriate number of significant figures, including
column headings and units.
Graphs: Graphs used to display raw data, and analysis graphs used to model the data are presented with properly labeled axes.
Error bars displayed where appropriate.
Analysis/ Conclusion: A specific conclusion addressing the question posed in the hypothesis, with final answers, estimates of
relative error, and discussion of how the procedure might be improved.
Problem Solving Strategy
 Problem solving strategy is taught as a series of steps modified for different problem types. These steps include:
 Identify the type of problem (conservation of energy, equilibrium, etc.)
 Identify the given information using a QVUA table (Quantities, Variables, Units, and Unit Abbreviations)
 Identify the question
 Use the problem type to set up a plan for solving the problem. Begin with a picture, and a formula or formulas
containing the given information and the unknown.
 If possible, solve the equations algebraically first.
 Substitute values and simplify.
 Check units and common sense against the answer obtained.
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 13
GREEAT Science
Graphing, Experimental Design, and Equations are taught as a triumvirate of information. Graph shapes can be used to infer
relations between variables and determine an unknown formula; known formulas can be used to design experiments to test
them; and so on. The details of the approach are codified in a “Chapter Zero” document we refer to as GREEAT Science :
Graphing, Relationships, Experiments, Equations And Tests. I have attached this document to this audit. It can be
downloaded from my web site, www.astronomyteacher.com. It includes understanding how to read equations as
relationships, how to “straighten” graphs to obtain unknown constants experimentally, and basic experimental design
language.
Summer Homework
Prior to the beginning of the course, in late Spring of each year, students who have signed up for AP Physics 1 (formerly AP
Physics B) are given a tutorial after school about how to analyze the relationship between variables in an equation. For
example, mass and acceleration have a direct relationship in Newton’s Second Law. The student are given a copy of the AP
Physics 1 Equation sheet, and asked to do an analysis of every equation on the list. The analysis includes identifying all the
variables, relationships, and appropriate units for the equation, creating an completing an example problem. This assignment
is completed over the summer and is not included in the activity tables following this summary, but is referred to throughout
the year as we add problem solving strategies to it.
Homework Assignments:
Students use a “Problem of the Day” as a warmup for each lesson. These are collected in a notebook which is checked
occasionally to see if students are capturing their though process and incorporating problem solving strategies taught. Often
the problems are multiple choice, and the class votes on the answer. If a majority does not agree on the answer, students are
given the opportunity to persuade each other to change their minds. Then the answer is revealed and explained (or the
student choice and explanation is confirmed.
For weekly homework assignments both Conceptual and Problem-style homework is assigned from Serway and Faughn.
These homework problems are counted as “attempts” in the classroom- credit is given if students make any progress toward a
solution. Incomplete answers are required to be accompanied by a statement about why the student is “stuck.” During class
discussion students may be asked to present at the board, submit work for display on a computer projector, volunteer to
answer orally, or allowed to ask open-ended questions of the teacher for strategy hints or solutions.
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 14
Assessments
Lab Quizzes to test concepts after the labs and summative assessments for each units are used to check student understanding.
Assessments are from a cumulative bank of questions I have written over many years using ExamView.
Technology
Students have access to a 2:1 computer lab and enough probeware and hardware (Vernier brand) to typically set up 8 lab
stations per class, which effectively becomes lab groups of 3 or 4 given typical class sizes. Student are encouraged to use Excel
and Fathom for graphing and graph analysis, Word for word processing, Logger Pro for data collection, and other kinds of
software as needed for specialized labs and activities.
Units of Study:
GREEAT Science – in this document this also includes certain end-of-year projects, homework, and other multiple-unit
activities.
Kinematics
Dynamics
Energy
Momentum
Simple Harmonic Motion
Rotational Motion
Waves and Sound
Static Electricity
DC Circuits
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 15
Time for Each Unit
The time for each activity is presented. For each unit there are also 1 days reserved for reviewing homework, 2 days for
lecture and 1 days for assessment. Each “day” is a 100 minute period.
Unit
Activity/Type
Description
01. GREEAT
Science
Summer
Homework /
GUIDED
Prior to beginning the course, students are asked to analyze
the AP Physics equation list and write down all the
relationships between the variables (direct, inverse,
quadratic, etc) and state the quantities represented by each
variable (F = force), look up appropriate units of measurement
(Force = Newtons) and state which chapters in the text relate
to these formulas. This is done during the summer and
reviewed on the first day of class.
01. GREEAT
Science
Final
Project/Open
Following the AP test students are asked to complete a major
project. They may choose from one of the following options:
1. Entering the county science fair.
2. Performing a large scale demonstration and providing a
video and performance of the demo with explanation.
3. Designing and carrying out an engineering project not
intended for the fair (such as building a solar car or
building an Arduino-based device.)
Inquiry
Days on
lesson/days
in lab
0 (done at
home prior
to course
beginning)
7 or more
(after AP
Test)
Science Practices Notes: This is a broad activity requiring
many different skills depending on the project selected by the
students. For example in the past students have made videos
of physics demos, built a solar car, entered the science fair
by building a wind tunnel, etc. For this activity it is
difficult to say specifically which science practice the
students will use, but collectively they will probably use all
of them.
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 16
Graph
Straightening
Homework
problems
Problem of the
Day
02.
Kinematics
Marble in a
Cup /Guided
Students are taught with fake data how to plot, recognize the
function's shape, replot to straighten out the graph, and
determine experimental constants. This skill is used
throughout the course and not in any particular content
domain.
Science practices Notes: Graph straightening is a key skill in
modeling. Data and theories are used to model and test
mathematical representations of the real world. Thus Science
Practices 1.1-1.4 apply.
Problem assignments from Serway and Faughn College Physics 7th
edition are done on attempts-basis. Students report the
number of attempted problems. An attempt is a problem where
some progress is made. If the problem is not completed, the
stumbling block is identified in writing. The homework is
discussed in a variety of methods including open questions for
the teacher, presentation at the board, random student chosen
to respond, and projecting student work on the screen for
discussion.
Science Practices: Obviously college-level homework requires
the use of appropriate mathematics, selection of key
strategies, and modeling. It also requires the posing of
scientific questions, refining questions to directly address
problmes, and an evaluation of the approach.
Each day before the main lesson students will be presented
with a physics puzzle or problem either open-ended or multiple
choice in structure. These questions cover all concepts in
the course eventually. Their purpose is to introduce,
reinforce, or refine scientific arguments about the solution
to various problems.
Science practices: This is another broad category that hits
all the practices collectively over time as a variety of
problems and puzzles are presented.
Summary (introductory orientation)
Students will design a ramp to launch a marble horizontally
off a table. After collecting data at home, they will predict
1, with
repetition
as needed
throughout
the course
throughout
the course
3/0
2/2
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 17
Picket Fence
for g
/Guided
Video analysis
of a soccer
ball
/Guided
03.
Dynamics
F=ma Modeling
Lab /Open
Inquiry
the marble's landing site on an untested table height at
school. A cup will be placed at the specified prediction
area; if it goes in, the project is successful. Students are
given step-by step guidance on how to complete the prediction
successfully.
Science practices: This activity requires mathematically
modeling the movement of a marble hitting on the floor,
requiring data collection, analysis, modeling and prediction.
In this lab students drop a standard picket fence through a
photogate, and use the resulting velocity vs. time graph to
find the acceleration of gravity. The acceleration is found as
the slope of the velocity and time graph.
A video of a soccer ball being kicked across a field is used
to demonstrate that horizontal velocity is constant while
vertical motion is accelerated, reinforcing the concept that
"gravity doesn't pull sideways." Specific instructions are
provided but students must determine some of the interfering
variables (such as dropping the picket fence vertically and
not tilted.)
Science Practices: This activity includes data collection, the
use of slope in modeling, connecting the modeling strategy to
the kinematics equations previously learned, and analysis to
generate the meaning of the slope of the graph produced.
Unit Total (+4 for homework, lecture, and assessment)
Students will collect force data from a sensor attached to a 1
kg cart. The cart also is equipped with an accelerometer.
The Force and acceleration data are plotted and the predicted
graph shape is linear. Students must find the slope and
compare it to the mass of the cart and sensors. This lab is
presented in inquiry style and students must control several
interfering variables, help design and write out the
procedure, and write a full lab report upon completion.
Students plan the activity on the basis of determining the
relationship between force and acceleration. Interfering
variables such as holding the sensor attachment level while
1/1
1/1
8/4
3/2
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 18
Paper
airplanes
/Open
Inquiry
Qualitative
Collisions
Guided
pulling, friction, loose connections between the sensor and
cart, including the sensor mass when weighing the cart, etc,
are determined by the students during a brainstorming session.
The instructor provides hardware but does not explain how to
attach it or arrange it.
Science practices: This open-inquiry activity has stdents
using mathematics to model the expected behavior of the data
prior to performing the experiment and requires them to
carefully consider interfering variables and deal with them
prior to performing the experiment. The analysis of the data
should connect the model of F=ma to the meaning of the slope
of the F vs. a. graph.
The role of the third law in causing paper airplanes to move
in response to control surfaces is explained. A paper airplane
contest is held with two rounds-- after the first round,
control surfaces are adjusted to allow for greater distances
during the flight. Students are asked to look for patterns in
the design of the planes and to explain how adjustments were
made.
Science practices: This qualitative activity has students
hypothesize about characteristics of the airplanes that make
them perform better in the contest, then act on those theories
and hypotheses to improve the design of their aircraft.
Student note the patterns in behavior to formulate qualitative
explanations for the behavior of the aircraft.
Students are asked to try a variety of elastic and inelastic
collisions "by hand" and without measurement, to see if they
can discover by observation simple rules such as "in an
elastic collision, identical masses simply swap velocities."
1/1
1/1
Science practices: Using drawings of collisions to model the
collision and velocity vectors students create a working set
of rules governing elastic and inelastic collisions before the
formal definitions are provided. The goal here is to “make
the equation match the situation” and mimic the pictures they
draw with the equations they will eventually write. They can
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 19
Rocket
Prediction /
Guided
04. Energy
Conservation
of Energy in a
Pendulum
/Guided
with
partially
open
perform mini-experiments based on these theories and predict
the outcomes of future trials and immediately receive feedback
on whether or not it worked.
Using Newton's Laws, the maximum altitude a model rocket could
fly is predicted. Then the rocket is flown and its altitude
is measured. The same rocket is flown with a different engine
to show the effect of different force and impulse on the same
mass. The rocket's engine code is used to determine the
impulse. A methodical algorithim is presented for estimating
the altitude.
Science practices: Using Newton’s laws and the concept of
impulse, students generate a mathematical prediction for the
altitude of a model rocket using a simplified mathematical
model of its movement. This model takes into account the
average thrust, the impulse of the engine, and the burn time
of the rocket but not the air friction, which puts an upper
limit on the altitude of the real rocket. This project
connects kinematics of a ballistic rocket and dynamics due to
the forces from the engine into a single activity.
Unit Total (+3 for homework, lecture, and assessment)
Students lift a known cylindrical mass a measured height from
a table. The difference in height is used to compute the
gravitational potential energy. The pendulum is released and
swings through a photogate and the velocity is measured. The
kinetic energy at the bottom of the swing is compared to the
potential energy at the top of the swing. Students must choose
the measuring hardware for the velocity at the bottom of the
swing. Students are responsible for controlling interfering
variables. For example, making the object a cylinder instead
of a sphere means alignment is not so difficult. Marking the
center of mass of the cylinder to make measurements more
consistent is a step they may come up with.
2/1
11/5
2/1
Science practices: In this activity students are asked to
design a data collection strategy to determine the
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 20
Energy loss in
a cart /
Guided
Rube Goldberg
Machine Video
/Guided
05.
Momentum
Air Track Lab
/Guided
gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy of a
pendulum to verify conservation of energy. A variety of means
are provided for the measurement such as motion detectors and
photogates, and students are asked to design the process used
to verify the law. This obviously requires an understanding
of the law of conservation of energy.
A cart is rolled down a hill, and the actual velocity is
compared to the friction-free theoretical velocity to
determine the amount of energy loss. Students must determine
the equipment and method for measuring the velocity and
present the calculations used to show the energy loss due to
friction.
Science practices: Students collect data in an attempt to show
conservation of energy in a situation with significant
friction then use their understanding of conservation to
explain where the missing energy “went.” Students must decide
what to measure based on prior experience and implement the
data collection strategy they devise.
A large K'Nex machine that produces a variety of different
events after lifting a sphere is deomonstated. A video
showing an elaborate Rube Goldberg machine is shown. Students
are asked to discuss the various energy and power transitions
in the devices, identifying where energy enters the system,
the rate of energy expenditure, and so on. Class discussion
evaluates the discussion of each energy transition.
Science practices: In this stand-in for a Rube Goldberg
machine students are asked to re-express multiple
representations of energy verbally in an attempt to explain
energy transitions in the device. The verbal responses
require them to use conservation of energy as a model to
articulate what is happening in the machine.
Unit Total (+3 for homework, lecture, and assessment)
Students use photogates to measure the speeds of two air track
carts before and after a collision. One cart's mass is
1/1
1/1
8/3
2/2
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 21
unknown and is computed from the other data. Then the cart is
measured with a scale to compare to the prediction. Students
must design the flag and arrange photogates to collect the
proper kind of information for the lab. Detailed procedures
are provided.
Algodoo
physics
simulation of
collisions/
Open
Inquiry
Qualitative
Collisions/
Open
Inquiry
Science Practices: Students represent the momentum of air
carts with drawing and use these to construct a conservation
of momentum equation to model the situation; photogates are
used to allow students the chance to plan and implement data
collection strategies. In this lab students are not told
where to place the photogates; they have to figure that out
for themselves. This gives them the opportunity to plan a
data collection strategy, and then analyze the data later to
evaluate whether momentum was conserved or not.
The physics simulation Algodoo is used to simulate various
collision including a moving object subjected to a temporary
force that causes it to change its velocity and hence its
momentum. The software can display momentum and force vectors
and show that the momentum change is in the same direction as
the applied force. Students may explore many combinations of
initial conditions to simulate.
Science practices: In this activity students can connect
multiple domains of physics by modeling projectile motion,
force vectors, and rotation simultaneously.
Students are asked to try a variety of elastic and inelastic
collisions "by hand" and without measurement, to see if they
can discover by observation simple rules such as "in an
elastic collision, identical masses simply swap velocities."
Students are asked to “play” and record observations to
establish patterns and rules. This is treated a bit like a
peer review; as each conclusion is written on the board other
students verify it.
2/1
1/1
Science practices: In this activity students observe
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 22
Windup Egg
Drop/ Open
Inquiry
06. Simple
Harmonic
Motion
Pendulum
length and
period /
Open
Inquiry
collisions and try to model the behavior seen with sketches
and velocity vectors. Estimation of relative values are used
to determine if the predictions match the observations. Just
like the quantitative version students must compare prediction
to actual events and attempt to explain the differences if
they can. The observations constitute the evidence used by
students to justify or deny their predictive claims.
Students are asked to design a windup car to carry a car down
a track. The car and egg inside are then dropped 5 meters
onto concrete. Students must complete a worksheet of
questions giving details about the device and write a
statement about how their design addresses the impulsemomentum relationship.
Science practices: The students work with the impulse-momentum
relationship to construct a device to both carry an egg and
protect it from collisions. This shows evidence of being able
to analyze a situation and act on the information gained.
Since this project is designed to use conservation of energy
and conservation of momentum/impulse as operational principles
it is by definition a combination of enduring understandings
and big ideas (conservation).
Unit Total (+3 for homework, lecture, and assessment)
In this student-designed experiment, students devise the steps
necessary to determine the relationship between the length of
a pendulum and its swing period. Students carry out the
entire investigation independently. Some students investigate
mass vs. period and initial angle vs. period to see if these
cause effects.
3/2
13/6
3/2
Science Practices: After practicing several mostly open
inquiry labs, this lab is presented to students with the
instruction to brainstorm factors that might affect the period
of a pendulum and investigate each independently, reporting
back in a mini-seminar to summarize the findings. This allows
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 23
Spring
constant Minilab /
Guided
07.
Rotational
Motion
Downhill
racers /Open
Inquiry
students to communicate scientific ideas, design a plan and
carry out an investigation, recognize and report on patterns
in the data, and make a claim with justification for what they
have seen.
Students determine the spring constant of a spring with a
variety of different hanging masses. Using the spring constant
the oscillation period is measured for a variety of springs
and the relationship between spring constant and period is
determined.
Science Practices: Similar to the pendulum lab, but with some
more guidance based on those results, students are simply told
“find the relationship,” after being introduced to Hooke’s
law. Once again recognition of patterns assists I the
development of data analysis and the eventual model explaining
what is seen.
Unit Total (+3 for homework, lecture, and assessment)
Students compare different shaped objects rolling down a hill
to conceptually develop the idea of rotational inertia. This
is conducted as a series of races between a cylinder, a hoop,
a disk, and a sphere. Potential explanations are shared to
come up with the idea of what factors are incorporated in
rotational inertia.
1/1
7/3
1/1
Science Practices: Following the definition of moment of
inertia, students do book and internet research to make
predictions about which rolling object will roll fastest in a
head-to-head race. A series of races are used to test the
various hypotheses they may form about the shapes in advance.
Any discrepant events in the racing of the objects will force
them to revisit the theory they were using to explain it until
it is correct. This is a qualitative lab but derivations of
some of the common moments of inertia for symmetrical round
things are derived. In the debrief after the trials students
are asked to construct an explanation of what they have seen.
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 24
Mass of
Jupiter /
Guided
Using photos of the moons of Jupiter, students will model the
orbit of Io and use the data to determine the orbital period
of Jupiter's innermost moon. Then they will use Newton's
version of Kepler's Third Law to determine the mass of
Jupiter. This is compared to published values.
4/2
Science Practices: This data intensive activity starts with
photographs of Jupiter and its moons and carefully extracts
date and time data, as well as position data, from a series of
photographs. The orbit of Io is used to determine the mass of
Jupiter. A model of Io’s orbit is presented and used with
modeling techniques to estimate the orbital period by
comparing the model to the real data. Projecting the orbit of
Io with position on the vertical axis and time on the x-asis,
it is relatively easy to model the orbital period. Since
comparison values exist for the orbital parameters and mass of
Jupiter it is possible to evaluate the effectiveness of the
technique.
Orbit
Simulation /
Guided
Using a computer simulation of an object with a gravitational
field, students analyze the effects of different velocities
and starting positions on the shape of the orbit. Conservation
of energy will be applied to explain the different velocities
at various points in the orbit.
Spin a penny
/Guided
Science Practices: the student uses a model of orbits to
investigate the effects of various parameters on the orbital
motion.
A rotating platform is gradually increased in speed until a
penny slides off of it. The centripetal force is equated to
the maximum static friction available. Then the penny is
placed on a ramp of identical material and the coefficient of
static friction is independently confirmed.
1/1
1/0
Science Practices: This activity joins the concept of friction
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 25
Torque on a
disk/
Guided
Torque
Sculpture
/Open
with the concept of centripetal force and uses a spinning disk
to generate angular acceleration, eventually making a penny
slip off the surface of the disk. Students time multiple
rotations to get angular velocity, and measure the radius of
motion with a ruler. The same disk and penny are used to
determine the coefficient of static friction by tilting the
nonrotating disk until the penny slips, showing the
coefficient of static friction is approximately the same in
both cases. This is a perfect example of integrating knowledge
across multiple domains.
The angular acceleration of a disk spun by a fixed force
hanging from a string along its circumference is measures.
The moment of inertia and the angular acceleration are
compared to the torque supplied by the hanging mass. The
angular momentum at the end of the event is estimated.
Science Practices: This relatively straightforward activity
asks students to propose what quantities must be measured to
determine an unknown moment of inertia for a large disk
dropped onto an already spinning platform connected to a
rotary motion sensor. Once the data is collected students
compare the moment of inertia determined experimentally with
the theoretical values presented in texts and online
references.
Students design and build a balanced piece of hanging art
using torque concepts. At least three pivots and three
different masses must be used, and the resulting torques
calculated and shown to add up to zero, leaving the sculpture
in equilibrium. (The sculpture is like a mobile). Students
must explain the order of the torque calculations.
2/1
2/1
Science Practices: In this unit estimation is important
because students must construct a balanced mobile using torque
of objects in rotational equilibrium to design a multi-part
mobile that will stay balanced, and justify the design by
using measurements of lever arms and masses used. The model of
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 26
08. Waves
and Sound
Resonance in a
tube lab
/Guided
Sound
Demonstrations
Speed of sound
lab /
Guided
the sculpture on paper must match what I presented with a
physical model.
Unit Total (+3 for homework, lecture, and assessment)
Students will use a tuning fork to determine the speed of
sound in a tube of variable length. Predictions about where
the next resonant length will occur are made and tested.
Science Practices: Students apply a model of resonance in a
tube with one end closed to estimate the speed of sound; the
model of nodes and antinodes in the tube is used to
mathematically predict the first overtone of the tube; and the
speed of sound is determined via three different methods and
students are asked to evaluate which method yields the most
reliable answer.
Demonstrations of the Doppler effect using a speaker on a long
wire twirled overhead; echo timing near a gymnasium; beats
generated through independently controlled stereo speakers;
resonance in tubes designed to play music when tapped or
dropped; etc.
Science Practices: These are demonstrations, but they are
used for concept development and the representation of all
wave phenomena using unifying concepts of wavelength,
frequency, amplitude, and speed. Using an oscilloscope
students learn how a compressional sound wave can be
represented by a transverse wave drawing.
Using a tube to generate an echo and a microphone connected to
a digital oscilloscope, students measure the time it takes
sound to travel to the end of the tube and return and use this
data to determine the speed of sound. The speed of sound is
then determined based on the temperature of the room, and the
values are compared and evaluated to determine which is more
trustworthy.
15/6
1/1
1/0
2/1
Science Practices: This is either the precursor or the
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 27
09. Static
Electricity
Methods of
charging lab
/Guided
Static
Electricity
Demos
/demo
followup to the resonance lab where students measure the speed
of sound several different ways (through resonance, through
echoes, and through temperature via an equation) and are asked
to determine which method yields the most trustworthy answer.
This provides an excellent opportunity to justify claims with
evidence.
Unit Total (+3 for homework, lecture, and assessment)
Students demonstrate charging by induction, charging by
contact, and polarization effects via a series of activities
involving an electroscope, balloons, fur, rods of various
materials, and paper. Students will describe how the charges
on each kind of object move around based on fundamental facts
and observations.
Science Practices: Students are asked to create models using
conservation of charge that explain the various demonstrations
shown in class. Using observations of the demos provides the
evidence they can use to support or refute their claims.
Using proper scientific language about the movement and
reactions of charges gives them a chance to refine their
explanation of the phenomena (for example, when a student says
“the protons move to the other side” we can help them refine
that to say “the negative charges move, leaving behind a
greater amount of positive, because protons can’t move in an
electrostatic demo.” Drawings and stories allow students to
create a model of what is happening.
A variety of demonstrations are used to provide students with
the opportunity to explain electrostatic phenomena including
van de Graff demos, electroscopes, charging by induction, the
electrophorus, and bending a stream of water (among many
others.) Complements and extends the demonstrations students
do at their desk.
9/2
1/1
2/0
Science Practices: This activity extends the basic demos done
in the previous activity and asks students to explain more
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 28
10. DC
Circuits
Kirchoff's
Rules
/Guided
complex phenomena such as charging by induction, Faraday
cages, etc. The same science practices are followed as in the
previous example.
Unit Total (+3 for homework, lecture, and assessment)
Kirchoff's rules are demonstrated through a series of
measurements of branch current and voltages in series and
parallel circuits. Students record the data in their
laboratory notebooks and present the evidence to each other in
class (one part of the class does series; the other does
parallel; they teach each other.)
7/1
3/3
Science Practices: Students use data to generalize the branch
current rule for parallel and the summation of voltage rule
for series; then they present to each other giving them a
chance at practicing communicating science with claims backed
by evidence. The goal is to persuade the audience that
repeating the experiment is possible, but unnecessary. This is
a perfect example of looking for patterns in data. In
combination with Ohm’s law this can be used to extrapolate the
remaining rules approaching Kirchoff’s loop rule.
Ohm's Law Lab
/Open
Inquiry
Students are shown how to measure voltage and current with
digital sensors, and collect data to find out the
relationships in Ohm's law. V and I data are plotted to find
resistance and compared to the printed value on the resistor.
A followup lab activity demonstrates the rules for series and
parallel through direct measurement. Students are expected to
write a complete lab report on this experiment including
textbook references about the underlying theory and to argue
that the data collected supports relationships in Ohm's Law.
The instructor’s role is limited to showing how to keep from
damaging the equipment.
3/3
Science Practices: Students are presented with the
instructions on how to use the electrical equipment without
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 29
damaging it; how to connect meters properly; and appropriate
values of voltage to use. Students then write proposals
asking for the equipment necessary to verify Ohm’s Law. The
experimental design requires them to construct an
investigation that varies voltage but detects current. The
modeling of the data reveals a constant slope representing
resistance. The cross-domain aspect uses the graph
straightening skill in an electrical context. This activity
encompasses several science practices because of the planning,
implementation, data collection, analysis and interpretation
of the data that is required. Aside from equipment
instructions, it is completely student-driven.
Resistivity
Mini-lab
/Guided
The resistance per unit length for a piece of wire is
measured, and used to define resistivity. Procedures are
provided.
Science Practices: This is a straightforward activity
following a script but the investigation involves making sure
the units match the format required to empirically measure the
resistivity of the sample. Each relationship can be
established with length vs. resistance, area vs. resistance,
and finally resistance to resistivity. Students are asked to
justify the relationships presented in the text using
evidence.
Unit Total (+3 for homework, lecture, and assessment)
Grand total, all units:
1
/1
10/7
88/37
~40% lab
ATTACHMENTS
Curriculum Requirements: A list of all the curriculum requirements, with a justification for each one, plus a list of all the
activities and labs (identified as Open or Guided) that address each practice. This is the document that I attempted to emulate
the sample syllabus with.
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 30
Activity Sort: A list of all activities listing the activity description, Concepts Links, Curricular Requirements met, and Science
Practices used by each activity. This has less commentary than the table above but includes every link I flagged every activity
with as I designed the curriculum.
Big Idea/ EU/ EK by Activity: A report listing each Big Idea, Enduring Understanding and Essential Knowledge item, with a list
of those activities that address that particular combination under each one.
Science Practices: A list of each of the science practices, followed by a list of the labs and activities that I identified that address
that Practice.
GREAAT Science: A copy of the “how to analyze relationships” instructions given to students to use for Summer Homework
and as a reference in the course.
AP Physics 1 Syllabus Page 31